Diamonds by Brian Ritchie

-Between the years 1977 to 1989 (when I was aged 17-29) I had several friends and seemed to be out every night with one or all of them. The thing that didn’t occur to me then was they were all female and gorgeous, but, I had no intention of being anything other than a platonic friend with all of them and (today 30 years later) can’t think why. This is the (almost) true true story of my life More

Each Sunday I would meet 3 girls at a Café across the street from the church we attended and we would decide what adventures we would ‘get up to’ each week. If it was hot and sunny we could go to the seaside if not – which was more likely coming from Glasgow – we would visit places of local interest or just ‘hang out’ together.

Being friends with them brought me into contact with several of their ‘other’ female friends and I found myself getting emotionally involved with them as well - but I had ‘fairly steady’ girlfriends most of the time so never thought of any of these girls as anything other than platonic acquaintances.

One girl was Jewish – she rebelled against everything, her father, her religion, the world in general (when it suited her) and regarded the holocaust as a personal insult - although she freely admitted she knew nobody involved.

One was a lesbian – the other girls tolerated her, because she was very funny and entertaining, as long as she kept her sexual preferences at a distance from them.

One was a nymphomaniac – it wasn’t her fault, she often told me, she hated to sleep alone...and seldom did.

One I met when she was 5 years old, then later when she was 11, and the last time when she was 16 and on her way to join a convent. She confessed she had a massive crush on me when we first met, which was re-kindled when my friends and I had helped her out when she was 11. She promised, the last time I saw her, to remember us all in her prayers.

One was twice the age of the others, including me, and had been a ‘bit of a girl’ when she was younger and tried to convince all who came into contact with her that she ‘still had it’. Several of the girls doubted she ever had ‘it’ and no matter how hard she tried she was never likely to find ‘it’ again.

One was, without doubt, the most beautiful girl I had ever met. A few years after I left their group she turned up in the local press and was lambasted by them when it emerged she was the mistress of a local businessman and dared to go to a prestigious function on the arm of a famous millionaire. They slaughtered her for about a week until the famous man quickly married his childhood sweetheart and she was never mentioned again.

Each ‘Diamond’ in this adventure is based on several aspects of these ‘friends’. Their stories once told, their secrets once kept. Hopes and desires often shared - confessions and fantasies seldom overheard.

I am a Bookkeeper from Glasgow, Scotland and wrote this novel over 20 years ago to honour my friends - all female - all platonic and every one a Diamond.

I sincerely hope you enjoy my book and if you have work requiring review I would be very happy to do so if you would give me feedback on mine in return.Drop me an email to ritchiebrnr@aol.com with any comments (put DIAMONDS in the title please)and I will be very happy to respond.

Readers of This Book Also Read

Reviews

Review by:
Jennifer Loiske
on Nov. 01, 2012 :
Diamonds is loosely based on the writer’s own experiences between the years 1977-1989. Each ‘diamond’ in this story is based on several aspects of the girls that the writer knew back then, and others he met around those years.

Basically the story is build around five women and Brian. It’s very well written and even if some of the stories are not nice they are told beautifully and without any gross details. Main character, Brian, has a huge heart and he wants to see everyone happy. He always finds time to listen and help other people (read= any women in trouble) as he has a spark in his eyes and very ‘wandering eyes’. Brian has a beautiful fiancée, Tracey, but as she lives in another town he doesn’t get to see her as much as their relationship would need and that makes the other women in Brian’s life even more important. Brian tries to behave but somehow he always finds himself in the oddest situations. And who could blame him? It is not easy to live with five beautiful women. But the sun is always shining a player like him and he always seems to land on his feet no matter what he does.

The book could also be called the unbelievable life of Brian X as the more I read the more bizarre the story became. BUT in a very good way. I can easily see this book as a TV-series as I have no doubt that this story would glue a lot of people in front of the screen in a best broadcast time.

Diamonds is very hooking from the beginning and made me want to read more and more. The story flows easily from scene to scene or should I say from girl to girl as at times the story reminded me of a modern day Casanova. It holds nicely together and…I don’t want to reveal too much but let’s just say that in the end Brian and his friends find their peace and the life is in deed smiling at them. Excellent read!(review of free book)